Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 4: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 4, 6 of them drawn with 75 licenses, from September 1 to November 29, 2026 (page 56). In the 2026 draw, 1,050 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 75 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 530 licenses sold, 463 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 196 bucks and 1 doe taken on the Unit 4 hunts.
Data updated October 2026. Hunts: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 drawing report. Harvest: NMDGF reports to 2025-26.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landState parkTribal landUnit 4Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 4 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 75 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 29, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,050 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 197 (196 bucks, 1 doe) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 44% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 11.7% (51,905 acres) |
| Residents only | 6 of the 6 codes |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 4 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 4 (all of them Humphries/Rio Chama/Sargent WMAs only), with the code's own 2025-26 result where NMDGF reported one under the same code and units.
| Hunt code | Weapon | Dates, 2026-27 | Bag limit | Licenses | Who may apply | 2025-26 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-2-141 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | residents only | 10 sold, 33% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-133 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | residents only | 20 sold, 53% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-134 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | residents only / youth only | 10 sold, 30% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-136 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | residents only | 20 sold, 42% success, 8 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-138 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | residents only | 10 sold, 50% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-140 | any legal weapon | Nov 25-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 5 | residents only / youth only | 5 sold, 60% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 4 deer in 2026?
1,050 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 75 licenses; 50 of them drew on that first choice. The share is NMDOW's 2026 result, not a forecast for another year.
| Hunt code | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn on first choice | Share of first-choice applicants who drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-2-141 | 10 | 44 | 5 | 11.4% |
| DER-1-133 | 20 | 276 | 17 | 6.2% |
| DER-1-134 | 10 | 74 | 4 | 5.4% |
| DER-1-136 | 20 | 148 | 11 | 7.4% |
| DER-1-138 | 10 | 369 | 8 | 2.2% |
| DER-1-140 | 5 | 139 | 5 | 3.6% |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report. Applicants and licenses drawn on second and third choices are on each hunt code's page.
How many deer are taken in Unit 4?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 4 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 530 licenses sold, 463 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 196 bucks and 1 doe taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 530 | 463 | 44% | 196 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 537 | 456 | 32% | 145 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 505 | 417 | 38% | 166 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 555 | 472 | 39% | 172 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 570 | 453 | 45% | 223 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 522 | 442 | 46% | 204 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 524 | 427 | 44% | 202 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 545 | 442 | 40% | 194 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 513 | 419 | 41% | 181 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 501 | 411 | 38% | 168 | 0 |
Source: NMDOW deer harvest reports, the printed area totals (public-land hunt codes and, where NMDGF counts them in the total, private-land licenses).
How much public land is in Unit 4?
11.7% of Unit 4 is public land, 51,905 of 443,641 acres, most of it Wildlife Commission land (44,311 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). The unit page has the map, highways, towns and neighbors: Unit 4.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 4?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 4 with 75 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 4?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 44% success rate for the Unit 4 deer hunts as a whole: 463 hunters reported and 197 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 32% to 46%.
When is deer season in Unit 4 in 2026?
The Unit 4 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 29, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 24, Oct 31, Nov 14 and Nov 25 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 4?
No. Every Unit 4 deer hunt code in 2026-27 is for New Mexico residents.Statewide, at least 84% of draw licenses go to residents, 10% to applicants with a registered outfitter and 6% to nonresidents without one, and antlerless elk and WMA-only hunts are for residents (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 18).